From an apprentice to an engineer?
If there is space for another ‘engineer letter’… I was interested in and agree with Larry Heslop's explanation of the term ‘engineer’. I wonder though if the changing definition and understanding in the UK of the term ‘engineer’ began decades ago.
From 1959 until 1964 I was a Morris Motors engineering apprentice at Morris Commercial Cars Ltd in Birmingham where a range of Transit-sized vans and direct injection BMC truck diesel three, four and six-cylinder engines were designed, developed and manufactured.
The third typed line of my attached Certificate of Apprenticeship uses the words ‘Engineering Apprentice’ in defining the type of apprenticeship in which I was indentured. After completing the apprenticeship it is possible to construe that an apprentice becomes an engineer, undefined but not chartered or incorporated.
The qualification at the end of my apprenticeship was an HNC (Hinger National Certificate) in mechanical engineering resulting from five years’ day release at the then called Aston Technical College.
A thought – I wonder in what level your correspondent Larry Heslop would place Dr Ing (Doktoringenieur), a form of address commonly used in Germany.